— dominantly , adv.
/dom"euh neuhnt/ , adj.
1. ruling, governing, or controlling; having or exerting authority or influence: dominant in the chain of command.
2. occupying or being in a commanding or elevated position.
3. predominant; main; major; chief: Corn is the dominant crop of Iowa.
4. Genetics. of or pertaining to a dominant.
5. Music. pertaining to or based on the dominant: the dominant chord.
n.
6. Genetics.
a. the one of a pair of alternative alleles that masks the effect of the other when both are present in the same cell or organism.
b. the trait or character determined by such an allele. Cf. recessive (defs. 4, 5).
7. Music. the fifth tone of a diatonic scale.
8. Ecol. any of one or more types of plants, or sometimes animals, that by virtue of abundance, size, or habits exert so important an influence on the conditions of an area as to determine, to a great extent, what other organisms can live there.
[ 1525-35; dominant- (s. of dominans, prp. of dominari to DOMINATE), equiv. to domin ( us ) master + -ant- -ANT ]
Syn. 1. prevailing, principal. DOMINANT, PREDOMINANT, PARAMOUNT, PREEMINENT describe something outstanding. DOMINANT describes something that is most influential or important: the dominant characteristics of monkeys. PREDOMINANT describes something that is dominant over all others, or is more widely prevalent: Curiosity is the predominant characteristic of monkeys. PARAMOUNT applies to something that is first in rank or order: Safety is of paramount importance. PREEMINENT applies to a prominence based on recognition of excellence: His work was of preeminent quality.